I am going to miss waking up to this every day.

If I wake up early enough, this is the view from my bedroom window at The 'Burg. I am going to miss this place, I am definitely ready for summer, but I am going to miss living with Jordan & Sharon and being in Lincoln. It seems like Jord and I were just living in the dorms, itching to get out and have our own place, I can't believe we've been here a year already.

I will be trading this for living with elementary schoolers all summer. I am starting to get nervous for my job, but I am pretty excited at the same time.

Since I am so excited for school to get out, I better start working on the loads of homework I have to do before summer starts.

Adios, amigos.

Amor Constante

For my Spanish reading comp class we have been reading a lot of famous Spanish literature.
I kind of love it.
Everything sounds so much more beautiful in another language.
Or maybe it just seems more beautiful to me because I am acually sort of understanding what it is saying.
I just came across this poem by Francisco Quevedo that I love called
Amor constante más allá de la muerte
After I finished the last line, it was one of those mind blowing moments, it doesn't sound nearly as wonderful in English, so if you don't like it, my feelings won't be hurt.
I know it seems kind of dark since it's about death, but it's also about eternal life and how once we're gone we are still capable of loving and being loved.

Constant love beyond Death
Perhaps whatever final shadow that
the shining day may bring could close my eyes,
and this my soul may well be set aflight
by time responding to its longing sighs;

but it will not, there on the farther shore
its memory leave behind,
where once it burned:my flame the icy current yet can swim,
and so severe a law can surely spurn.

Soul by no less than a god confined,
veins that such a blazing fire have fueled,
marrow to its glorious flames consigned:

the body will abandon, not its woes;
will soon be ash, but ash that is aware;
dust will be, but dust whose love still grows

estudios en el extranjero

Studying abroad is all I have been thinking about lately.
I'm most likely not going until fall of 2011 but I can't help but day dream.
I can already see myself in Spain--walking to class, sitting in coffee shops, sight seeing, food tasting, shopping, making conversation with the locals, etc.
Maybe take a trip to France or Italy while I'm on the continent :) A girl I know from France told me that once you know Spanish, French is easy to learn.
I would love to learn another language once I get Spanish down well enough.
I wish I didn't have to have a career and that I could just spend my time learning other languages and traveling. There are so many places in this world I want to go to.
Ohhh I am making myself far too excited
While I go write a Spanish paper, enjoy some of Gaudi's incredibly beautiful architecture found in Barcelona.

One big, bittersweet, potentially life altering day.

Tomorrow is a big day.
One big, bittersweet, potentially life altering day.

Tomorrow, I turn 20.
Tomorrow, I also find out where I will be going to school for the rest of my undergrad years.
I am scared for both.
I can no longer have the mindset of "I'm just a teenager."

I always think women in their 20's are wiser, more put together and have their lives figured out.
Wrong-o. At least for this almost 20 year old.
I don't even know what state I will be living in next year.

At the same time, I am also excited for tomorrow.
I like to think of my birthday as the new year instead of it being in January.
(Technically the new year for each person is on their birthday, right?)
Right.
I am also ready to make this decision that has been haunting me for over a year.
I am ready for a new year, a new decade.
A new year possibly being at a different school, in a different state.
Or possibly a new year living in the same city with the same people.
Either way, it will be a new year and a time to renew myself.

I've got high hopes for you, 20.
Don't let me down.

Breakfast of Champions

Mmm..
Lately, I have been feeling rather "Betty Crocker" and I have been cooking and baking more often. Last night, I was in the mood for something sweet, so I made a peanut butter silk pie and my roommate made us some caramel lattes.
Sadly, by the time the pie was ready I was already asleep, so I had a piece for breakfast...
(I know, I'm so healthy)
I do plan to go workout after finishing this post, however, so I find that pie for breakfast is acceptable. :)
And even sadder, pie for breakfast is about as adventurous as I get.
Baby steps.

Spring break recap

My spring break wasn't very eventful, but that's okay, I had plenty of relaxation time.
In a previous post, I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish throughout the week.
Did I get everything done? Not quite..but that shouldn't come as a surprise.

I did finish Searching for God Knows What and I read the forward of my next book, so technically I started it.
I had a wonderful road trip with my best friend.
I relaxed.
I cooked dinner for the fam.
I got to see my niece (or) nephew's finished nursery.
& I spent time with some of my favorite people, who are pictured below. :) (old pictures but they're the only ones we're all together)

Thankful I get to see them again this weekend :)


I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and spent some time with the people who mean the most to you.

Roadtrip

My best friend Kristin and I took a mini roadtrip to Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Thursday.
It was so great to spend the whole day with her.
It was such a beautiful day, we looked at Augustana College, strolled through downtown and went to Falls Park.

There are so many pretty old buildings all around the city, and Augie has quite a few, too. We then accidentally went to an expensive Italian restaurant, and were planning our escape when our waitress arrived. We sucked it up and split a meal and the salad! It was delicious, though.
Even though it was a day trip and we didn't go anywhere exciting, it was wonderful to spend so much time with my best friend.